General Orlov
| occupation = Military Officer | affiliation = USSR, Kamal Khan | status = Deceased, shot by German Border Guard | role = Main Villain | portrayed = Steven Berkoff | first_appearance = Octopussy (film) | last_appearance = James Bond 007 (role-playing game) }} Lieutenant-General Orlov was a fictional Soviet General and one of the two main antagonists in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy (the other being Kamal Khan). He was portrayed by British actor Steven Berkoff. The character also appeared in the 1986 James Bond 007 tabletop role-playing game. Biography Orlov is a megalomaniacal Soviet General, he wears the rank insignia of a lieutenant-general, who believes that the Warsaw Pact has a decisive advantage over NATO in conventional military strength that is being tossed away by its leaders in détente. Rejecting their diplomacy, he advocates a massive military attack in Europe to seize dominance of the continent and call (what he thinks is) NATO's nuclear bluff. However, his proposal for a full-scale invasion of Europe is flatly rejected, with General Gogol being the loudest voice, in part because NATO would respond with nuclear strikes that would escalate the conflict to a global nuclear war. Gogol also seems to hold Orlov in contempt, feeling that his thirst for power is dangerous. To eliminate that objection, Orlov's plan involves the detonation of an atomic bomb at a circus performance inside a United States Air Force base in West Germany. The effects of the bomb would be indistinguishable from American atomic bombs, and the explosion would be assumed to be an accident (as a nuclear strike would trigger the Air Force's early warning systems), prompting nuclear disarmament throughout the West and the East. Under Orlov's reasoning, with the nuclear factor taken out of the equation, the superior numbers of the Soviets would then be able to defeat the West without threat of nuclear reprisal, or even resistance, from NATO. Orlov's accomplice in this scheme is Kamal Khan, an exiled Afghan prince involved in jewelry smuggling. He pays Khan by stealing priceless Fabergé eggs from state depositories and replacing them with counterfeits. He gets James Bond's attention when MI6 agent 009, who had been working undercover, is killed with one of the counterfeits in his possession in West Germany. With Khan's employee, Octopussy, the pair plan to use the latter's circus as a front for smuggling the original jewellery. Instead of selling the jewellery in Switzerland and split the profit, they replace it with the atomic bomb to detonate en route in West Germany, which Octopussy is unaware of. Bond eventually confronts Orlov and attempts to force him to stop the train carrying the bomb, but he is interrupted by Russian soldiers. Orlov and Bond both race to catch the train, with Bond unknowingly taking the General's car with the jewellery. Orlov commands his soldiers to pursue Bond's car, which crashes into a river just after 007 managed to jump onto the train. Finally Orlov also catches up with the circus train. However, he is gunned down by a border guard while trying to jump onto its back, as he has forcibly crossed the border between East and West Germany. By this point, General Gogol had discovered Orlov's role in the smuggling by retrieving Orlov's car containing the jewellery from the river. When the arriving Gogol calls him "a disgrace to the uniform", the dying Orlov utters his last words: "Yes, but tomorrow, I shall be a hero of the Soviet Union," unaware that James Bond is about to foil the scheme. Personality Orlov was completely insane, having a manic fixation with the USSR gaining complete power over Europe, as opposed to General Gogol, who preferred to make peace with the West. He was also incredibly psychotic, not caring that thousands of people would die due to his plan. He also had no qualms with betraying Octopussy for his plan to succeed. In addition, he seemed to have a short temper, frequently snapping at people while arguing with them, seen most prominently in his confrontations with both General Gogol and James Bond. Awards & Decorations * Hero of the Soviet Union: Orlov was awarded the honorary title 'Hero of the Soviet Union' for an heroic act for state and society. Ourumov got several privileges by getting this title. Ironically, he thinks he will get awarded a second time for his plot. * Order of Lenin: The highest civilian order (though also awarded to military personnel) was awarded three times to Orlov. * Order of the Red Banner: This order was awarded to Orlov twice for heroism in combat or long service in the armed forces. * Order of Kutuzov (First Class): This order was awarded to Orlov four times for his outstanding military leadership. * Order of Glory: This order was awarded to Orlov three times for his military actions against the enemy. Given by his age, he earned them either during the 1956 Soviet military intervention in Hungary, or during the 1969 border clashes with China. * Order of Alexander Nevsky: This order of merit was awarded to Orlov because of personal courage and resolute leadership as an officer of the army. Henchmen and Associates Kamal Khan (Louis Jourdan) - Profile.jpg|Kamal Khan|link=Kamal Khan Mischka.png|Mischka|link=Mischka Grischka - Profile.png|Grischka|link=Grischka Lenkin - Profile.png|Lenkin|link=Lenkin Kamp - Profile.png|Kamp|link=Kamp Octopussy (Maud Adams) - Profile.png|Octopussy|link=Octopussy (Maud Adams) Orlovdriver1.jpg|Orlov's Driver|link=Orlov's Driver Orlovsoldier1.jpg|Orlov's Soldier 1|link=Orlov's Soldier 1 Orlovsoldier2.jpg|Orlov's Soldier 2|link=Orlov's Soldier 2 Trivia * Steven Berkoff would later go on to play a similar Russian militant in the film Rambo: First Blood Part II. * He is the only male villain in Octopussy not to be killed by James Bond. Gallery Khan and Orlov discussing their plans.png|Orlov and Khan discussing their plans Octopussy, Orlov and Khan at the circus.png|Orlov, Khan and Octopussy at the circus Octopussy having a drink with Orlov and Khan.png|Orlov having a drink with Khan and Octopussy References fr:Général Orlov Category:James Bond characters Category:Film characters Category:Octopussy characters Category:Russians Category:Military Villains Category:Masterminds Category:Male characters Category:Dictators Category:Deceased characters Category:Characters killed by other characters Category:Megalomaniacs Category:Military figures Category:James Bond 007 (role-playing game) characters Category:Omnicidal maniacs Category:Psychopaths